Nottingham High School's DECA students tackle driving safety cause

James Appleton, left, Robert Edwards, and Kayla Walker are members of the DECA Club at Nottingham High School. They are wearing thumb bands to raise awareness of the dangers of texting and driving. John Berry/The Post-Standard

By Mary Kay DeVore
Contributing writer

Even though texting and driving is against the law in New York state, it still happens on a daily basis and the consequences can be grave.

Thousands of people across the country are killed or injured each year as a direct result of distracted driving, according to Distraction.gov, a web site operated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Those staggering statistics were enough for three students in the DECA student business club program at Nottingham High School to do something about it. DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America.

Senior James Appleton and junior Kayla Walker thought this was an important issue and decided to create a public service campaign to put a stop to texting while driving for their DECA public relations project this year.

“I wanted to do this for a project because texting and driving is a really dangerous thing,” said Appleton, 17. “It’s a really relevant topic right now.”

Sixteen-year-old Robert Edwards was so moved by what his peers were planning that he asked if he could join their efforts.

“I took a strong liking to what they were doing,” said Edwards, a sophomore who intends to get his driving permit this month. “I feel like the main cause of teen death other than alcohol related is texting and driving. I want to make a difference in the community.”

The group got to work right away. They created a “no texting and driving pledge” and ordered thumb bands to hand out as a reminder of what not to do.

The student group’s presence was known at the fall open house where they set up an information table in the main lobby with a special guest of someone dressed as the Grim Reaper. Students and parents signed the pledge and hundreds of thumb bands were distributed.

A&P Auto Parts in Cicero donated a vehicle that had been involved in a texting-while-driving accident that was displayed at the school for a week. Each morning, the trio shared information and statistics during the morning announcements.

They have covered all their bases. “That Text I didn’t send” is the slogan they are using and the name of the Facebook page they set up. Posters have been strategically placed throughout the school as well.

Walker, 16, just recently received her driving permit.

“This is a really big issue right now and it affects a lot of high school students,” she said. “I think we have made a difference and we hope to expand this beyond the school and into the community.”

While the campaign has grabbed the attention of students, teacher and parents, there is much more for the students to do for DECA.

They are required to research and write a 30-page manual that includes a marketing plan, which will be submitted to a panel of judges prior to the DECA state competition in Rochester this March. The group will have the opportunity to present and bring their project to life at the event.

“These are real hard working kids who did a lot of legwork outside of class,” said Tom Azzolino, business teacher and DECA advisor at Nottingham High School. “This will prepare them for the future as entrepreneurs and leaders.”

DECA is a not-for-profit student organization that prepares high school and college students worldwide to be professional, community oriented leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. There are 188,000 members with 3,500 chapters. DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America.

Being a part of DECA and this project has had a profound effect on Appleton who has his permit and has been driving for about a year. He has received feedback that may have saved a life.

“Someone said to me they were about to text and looked at their thumb band and didn’t because they didn’t want to do something so dangerous and get in an accident,” said Appleton. “DECA has definitely influenced me and shown me I can do many things. I want this campaign to be bigger. All over the state and more.”